NAVAL STATION GREAT LAKES, Ill. – The 9th Marine Corps District (9MCD) Headquarters, Western Recruiting Region, Marine Corps Recruiting Command, hosted a change of command ceremony today as Col. Aaron C. Lloyd relinquished command to Col. Brian B. Blaine.
The change of command ceremony is a time-honored military tradition that formally transfers the authority, responsibility, and accountability of a command from one officer to another. During the ceremony, the passing of the unit’s colors symbolizes the uninterrupted continuity of command and the enduring trust placed in each new leader to carry the organization forward.
Headquartered in Great Lakes, Illinois, in the heart of the nation, 9MCD is responsible for Marine Corps officer and enlisted recruiting across 19 states – Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming, an area spanning more than 1.3 million square miles. A total of 875 U.S. Marines, Sailors and civilians serve throughout the district, working daily within their local communities, municipalities and schools to identify and prepare the next generation of Marines.
Col. Lloyd commanded 9MCD from June 2023 to July 2026. Today’s ceremony marked the final assignment of his 27-year Marine Corps career.
“I believe that one of the enduring lessons of leadership is that we are only temporary stewards of the command entrusted to us. None of us owns the colors; we simply carry them for a time before passing them to those who follow. My hope has always been to leave the district stronger than I found it in the summer of 2023 - to build a culture rooted in team, trust, accountability, humility, and genuine care for one another. If we accomplished that together, then every hard day was worth it, and we lived up to our responsibilities as Marines. I could not be prouder of the leaders who drove the district forward, the teams that grew stronger, and everyone who never stopped believing in one another, even when the road ahead was dark and uncertain,” said Lloyd.
Col. Blaine now assumes responsibility for 9MCD’s mission of sustaining the all-volunteer force by recruiting men and women of the highest quality to become United States Marines. As he takes the helm, 9MCD looks forward to building on the foundation laid by his predecessor while continuing to serve the communities of the Midwest.
For more information about 9MCD, or to learn more about becoming a U.S. Marine, contact the 9MCD Communication Strategy and Operations Office at SG-9MCD-D9DHQ-PAO@marines.usmc.mil.